Alabama has passed a new bill, HB261, that prohibits trans athletes from participating in collegiate and K-12 level sports that align with the gender in which they identify.

The legislation was sponsored by Rep. Susan Dubose of District 45 in Birmingham and co-sponsored by Rep. Jennifer Fidler, whose District 94 covers Fairhope, Foley, Summerdale, Silverhill and Magnolia Springs, has been signed into law.

"It's not fair for women to compete against individuals who identify themselves as female when they are not biological females," Fidler said at a town hall meeting the freshman state representative hosted this month in Fairhope.

The Republican said that during the Alabama legislative meeting, a member of the Democratic party spoke in favor of the bill. According to Fidler, the house member has female children and said she feels that it would be unfair for a person born a man who identifies as a female to compete against biologically born females. Fidler said the speech received a standing ovation.

The scope of HB261 includes a provision that exempts certain athletic events where male and female athletes compete together.

It also permits intercollegiate athletic teams or sports sponsored by public two-year or four-year institutions, provided they are strictly for females, women or girls.

Private institutions are exempt from the bill's requirements.

The bill extends its restrictions to K-12 schools and applies when there are teams for both genders fielded for that sport.

Supporters of the legislation argue that it upholds the principles of fair competition and protects the integrity of sports by recognizing biological differences between males and females.

HB261 allows students to pursue private legal action, seeking relief, damages, attorney fees and other remedies for being deprived of athletic opportunities or who experience harm due to violations of the law.

Fidler nor the legislation mentioned any known instances of this happening in Alabama.